An Introduction to Behavioural Risk

Counterparty Risk Management

An Introduction to Investment Funds

Petko Bahovski, who has previously worked for Coutts and Credit Suisse, managing teams of private bankers, and for JP Morgan as Executive Director, teaches you how to select funds based on the reliability of the business model and investment processes used by asset managers, as well as the quality and substance of their operations.

You'll learn how to assess management companies and fund structures, what pertinent questions to ask regarding the fund’s service providers, and also how to perform thorough compliance and background checks on fund managers. An Introduction to Investment Funds empowers you with an increased awareness of the funds available, along with an understanding of their pitfalls and strengths, thereby enabling you to make better-informed investment decisions.

Professional asset management is one of the largest and most profitable businesses in the world. The value of professionally managed assets at the end of 2014 was estimated to be US$74 trillion. The variety of products and funds to choose from is enormous. The purpose of this book is to provide a concise summary of the different types of investment funds that are being offered.

Investment funds may be termed differently in different countries around the world. For example they are also known as investment trusts in the UK, mutual funds in the US, FCP in Luxembourg, SICAF in Luxembourg and Switzerland, SICAV in France, Italy, Luxembourg and Switzerland and unit trusts in Ireland and the UK. For consistency the term “investment funds” is used.

Petko Bahovski started his banking career in American Express, Brighton, UK in 1994. After completing his undergraduate degree in Accounting and Finance at the London School of Economics in 1995, Petko worked for two years as head of the corporate dealing desk of ING Bank in Sofia, Bulgaria. In 1997 while he was doing a two years Masters Program in Finance at Brandeis University, Boston, Petko worked as an Emerging Markets bond Analyst at Baring Asset Management.
Upon completing his degree, Petko joined Chase Manhattan Bank, and worked in Emerging Markets Bond sales in New York and Mexico City. In 2000 Petko moved to London, to join JPMorgan’s Eastern Europe Local markets credit and rates sales desk. In 2006 he moved to JPMorgan Singapore where he became Global Emerging Markets Product Manager for the Asia Region. He constantly travelled in the region, predominantly to China, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Philippines and Korea.
In 2008 Petko moved to Credit Suisse - Zürich, to manage a team that was covering Russian and Central Asian Russian speaking private banking clients. In 2011 Petko joined Coutts Zürich, to head their Russian, Ukrainian and Central Asian private banking teams. Petko started to provide consulting services in July 2012. As a consultant Petko is successfully helping his clients to implement change, build stronger, more competitive and profitable organisations.